Two anti-fracking protesters have been arrested after supergluing themselves inside a car to blockade the entrance to a drilling site.

The women, aged around 25 and 45 and from Lancaster, fixed themselves to a barrel of concrete wedged through a hole cut in the bottom of the blue Ford Escort.

It was parked outside the only entrance to the IGas site in Barton Moss, Greater Manchester, from 7.30am today, stopping site traffic from entering or leaving.

The women were both removed by 10am and the car was towed away half an hour later.

Greater Manchester Police said the pair had been arrested for wilful obstruction of a public highway.

A statement released by one of women said: "I have taken action today because from water contamination to air pollution and huge amounts of waste, there are so many problems with fracking.

"One third of the workforce comes directly from the US and most of the rest will be contracted in from other parts of the UK, meaning practically no jobs for local people."

Fellow campaigner Mandy Roundhouse, 30, said being arrested was a risk the pair had been prepared to take.

"It's not a decision they have taken lightly but they have done letter-writing, they have done going on marches, they have tried all the other means and nothing is working so they have had to resort to this," she said.

GMP said it had an extraction team on standby after similar incidents at the site, such as when one woman superglued herself to the site gates last week.

"GMP continue to balance facilitating peaceful protest with the rights of others to go about their lawful business, whilst minimising disruption to the local community and businesses," he said.

Policing the Barton Moss fracking site has so far cost the taxpayer £300,000.

Barton Moss became a test site for the controversial extraction process after development firm IGas was granted permission from Salford town hall for exploratory drilling.

Government scientists have ruled the process safe but environmental campaigners, who set up camp at the site in early December, have branded it a "toxic nightmare".

Simone Jones, another anti-fracking protester at the site, said: "The US has clearly demonstrated fracking is dangerous, destructive and devastates communities.

"Despite regulation this will also be the case in the UK. Only one well has been drilled and fracked here and it caused earthquakes that damaged the well so gas and chemicals could leak out.

"This was not reported to the Health and Safety executive for six months. We need clean, safe, affordable energy which can be achieved by renewables such as wind and solar owned by local communities."

An IGas spokeswoman said: "We recognise the right to peaceful protest, however we do not condone any illegal activity, or anything that impacts the right of local residents to go about their daily lives and work.

"Our priority is to ensure that there is minimal disruption to the residents and businesses of Barton Moss Road.

"We have received all the necessary permissions to drill a vertical exploration well to take and analyse rock samples, and remain confident we will complete our programme as planned.”